


Paradise on the Beach

by 4thofFive



Series: Paradise [3]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Explicit Sexual Content, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-08
Updated: 2014-02-08
Packaged: 2018-01-11 15:52:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1174931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/4thofFive/pseuds/4thofFive
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Part 3 in the Paradise series. Steve is an actor and Danny is the head of Five-0.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Paradise on the Beach

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing and couldn't stop.  
> "We need a hurt/comfort scene," I said to myself.  
> "Oh we need a Grace scene." I reasoned.  
> "Of course we need some porn." 
> 
> Let's just say it's longer than intended.

Danny yawned and stretched then dropped his arms to his side to sprawl comfortably over the plush, king-sized bed. When his left hand met with empty, cool mattress he opened his eyes and looked over to see that Steve was already out of bed. Danny glanced at Steve’s bedside clock then groaned: 5:30! It was inhuman!

The blond man sighed in resignation as he pushed back the sheet to climb out of bed. He pulled on a pair of sweat pants and a tee-shirt then padded across the bedroom into the bright, marble-tiled bathroom. As he stood in front of the toilet he shook his head at what he perceived to be the opulence of the room. It was nothing to Steve who had moved from a larger house in L.A. but to Danny it was a frigging palace. As much as he loved Steve and their life together, it was still sometimes difficult to assimilate the change in his circumstances. Six months ago he was living in a small apartment struggling to pay bills and child support. Now he was living in a huge home (Steve refused to hear it spoken of as a mansion) with a famous Hollywood star.

The captain finished his ablutions and left the bedroom to trot down the stairs in search of Steve. Normally Danny wouldn’t be up for another hour but Steve had had a few late nights on set this week and Danny had been busy with a kidnapping case so they hadn’t been able to spend much time together and he missed his boyfriend.

Danny bypassed their large dining room with its floor to ceiling windows looking out over their yard and the beach beyond, and pushed through the swinging doors into the kitchen. The large room was kitted out with every luxury convenience: commercial style appliances, granite counters, a large wine cooler and a pantry stuffed with enough food to feed an army. As he made his way over to the table where Steve sat eating an egg white omelette and reading the morning news on his iPad, Danny smiled and nodded to their cook Mrs. Tanaka who was busy mixing some kind of batter in a large bowl at the kitchen island.

Steve looked up as Danny approached and frowned worriedly.

“Why are you awake? You don’t have to be up for another hour.”

Danny put his hand on his boyfriend’s shoulder then leaned over and gave the dark-haired man a quick kiss before sitting beside him at the table.

“Haven’t seen you much recently so I thought I’d have breakfast with you before you go.”

Steve smiled happily at that as he pushed aside the iPad and took one of Danny’s hands in his.

“Thanks babe. Sorry about the late nights but we’re shooting some outside night time scenes and the weather hasn’t been cooperating.”

Danny waved his free hand dismissively.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ve been having some long days myself. Hopefully things will calm down now that the kidnapping case is over.”

Steve smiled proudly at Danny and squeezed his hand.

“There’s an article about that in this morning’s paper. Got the child back unharmed and arrested the kidnappers. I’m proud of you babe.”

Danny blushed and dropped his eyes to the floor. Steve seemed to think of him as some kind of hero despite Danny’s attempts to disabuse him of that idea. Still, Steve’s pride never failed to make Danny feel about 10 feet tall.

“Well it was a team effort.”

Danny looked up as Mrs. Tanaka approached the table.

“Mr. Danny, would you like some breakfast?”

Danny smiled at the small, delicate Asian woman. Her hair was greying and her face had a few lines but her beauty was still evident on her face.

“Good morning Mrs. Tanaka. May I please have an omelette like Steve and some brown toast?”

Danny found it hard to break the habit of being overly formal with the household staff but this was the first time in his life he had household staff and it still felt weird even after five months of living in the home with Steve. Sometimes he wished they weren’t around and it was just Steve and himself with Grace on weekends. But then he’d come home from a long day at work to find a cold drink placed in his hand, his dinner ready, his bed freshly made and his clothes all cleaned and pressed.

Danny looked back at Steve who was just finishing the last of his omelette.

“Will you be late again this evening?” the captain asked.

Steve shook his head as he wiped his face with a linen napkin and laid it beside his plate.

“I don’t think so. We’re doing some filming on the North Shore this morning but this episode is centred Andrew Cain’s character Scott so they’re going to be filming a lot of his stuff today.”

Danny smirked at Steve and waggled his eyebrows.

“Is this the episode where Alex and Scott finally realize their love for each other?”

Steve rolled his eyes as he took one of Danny’s hands in his again.

“Our first kiss is in episode seven which we start filming next week.”

“Hmm,” Danny pretended to grumble in mock jealousy. “Maybe I should be on set to make sure there’s no hanky-panky.”

Steve snorted as he leaned forward and captured Danny’s mouth with his. The kiss was brief in deference to Mrs. Tanaka but it still caused something hot to twist in Danny’s gut. He and Steve were definitely going to have to make up for lost time tonight.

“There will be no hanky-panky on set,” Steve assured Danny firmly. “You’re the only person with whom I engage in either hanky or panky.”

Danny lifted his eyebrows at Steve as Mrs. Tanaka placed a warm plate of food in front of the captain then moved quietly away.

“Andrew Cain is pretty good looking,” Danny reminded Steve as he dug into his omelette. “Gossip Magazine calls him one of the Top 25 Hunks of 2014. Of course you rank higher than him on that list.”

Steve shook his head as he let go of Danny’s hand so the man could eat. Instead he placed his hand on his boyfriend’s knee.

“Danno, you’re the only hunk in my life ok? Yes Andrew is good looking but he’s not my type. You’re my type. You’re my only type ok?”

Danny looked up from his breakfast to observe Steve for a moment. He swallowed then nodded and smiled.

“I know love. I trust you.”

Steve grinned and sat back in his chair. In a few minutes he’d have to go upstairs and brush his teeth before his driver arrived to pick him up and take him to the set, but he wanted to snatch a bit more time with Danny.

“How are the plans going for the big premier?” Danny asked as he took a gulp of orange juice.

“Good I think. The promotions people have decided to call it Paradise on the Beach. It’s going to happen at sunset on Waikiki and we’re bringing in a huge screen to play the first episode. We’re hoping we’ll have a few hundred fans there but we won’t know for sure until that night. I’m hoping we’ll get some good media coverage. The studio has been in touch with Entertainment Today about having exclusive access. We’re waiting to hear back.”

Danny scraped up the last of his omelette and chewed it happily.

“Well I think it’s going to be a huge success. From what I’ve seen of the first episode it looks amazing. That fight sequence you did on that ship was incredible. I can’t help thinking the hit your career took by coming out will be erased by this show.”

Steve smiled warmly at his boyfriend.

“I hope you’re right Danno. I’d just be happy if the media started referring to me as ‘Action star Steve McGarrett’ once again rather than ‘noted gay star Steve McGarrett.’”

Danny snorted and shook his head. He was getting a hell of an education on the entertainment media – especially the paparazzi – since meeting and falling in love with Steve.

“The jerks. They love to label people.”

“Well I’m used to it,” Steve replied. “I was the flavour of the month for a while now but their attention has shifted to greener pastures thanks to spoiled, badly behaving young singers. Still, wasn’t it Oscar Wilde who said the only thing worse about being talked about was not being talked about?”

Danny shrugged as he took a bite from his toast and chewed it happily. Mrs. Tanaka made their bread and despite all the nuts and seeds she put in it was awesome.

Steve stood and leaned over to give Danny a kiss on the forehead.

“Gotta go get ready. Aolani will be here soon to pick me up.” Steve stood and began to walk away then turned back quickly. “Oh Danny, Kiki asked if she could come by your office today with a tailor to measure you and Chin for your new suits.”

Danny sighed and rolled his eyes before turning in his chair to look at Steve.

“Why do I have to have a new suit? I have several of them hanging in my closet upstairs.”

Steve returned to Danny’s side and bent down so their noses were inches from each other.

“Because those are all business suits and I want you to have a lightweight one for Paradise on the Beach. Besides, you’re going to be the hottest guy there and I want to show you off.”

Danny fought back a smile as Steve leaned forward and kissed him on the tip of his nose.

“No one is going to be looking at me babe but ok, tell her she can come around noon. But I can’t promise we’ll be there if we get a new case.”

“I’ll tell her,” Steve smiled before leaning in once again and kissing Danny on the mouth. The dark-haired man smacked his lips together. “Mmm, Mrs. Tanaka does make good bread.”

**********  
Danny crossed the office and entered the break room and was pulled like a magnet to the coffee machine for his third cup of the morning. He found a tired, grumpy-looking Kono pouring herself a cup and grumbling under her breath.

“What’s wrong with you?” Danny asked, pouring the dregs of the pot into his favourite mug.

“Stupid paperwork,” Kono bitched. “I hate doing it. It takes longer than the original investigation.”

Danny perched one hip on the edge of the lunch room table.

“A bit of an exaggeration but I know what you mean. Still, it’s all part of the job.”

Kono harrumphed and began digging in the fridge for something to munch on.

“When Steve plays a cop in his movies he’s never shown doing paperwork, just a lot of judo moves and blazing gun fights. He arrests the bad guy then goes home to find some beautiful woman waiting for him in his bed.”

“You’d like more of the judo and gun fights I know,” nodded Danny as he took a sip from his mug. The young officer had a bit of a reckless streak that he often had trouble keeping under control. “But if you were a character in one of Steve’s movies you’d be wearing a bustier to work and your name would be Officer Candy or Sergeant Brittany or something.” 

Danny ran his eyes up and down the beautiful woman’s body as she pulled her head out of the fridge, a yogurt cup in hand. “Not that I’d be complaining if you wore a bustier mind you.”

Kono snorted as she pulled the top off the tub of yogurt and dug in with her spoon.

“Oh please boss. You only have eyes for Steve and you know it. I could be standing next to him naked and you wouldn’t notice.”

Danny shrugged but smiled.

“I’d like to think I’d notice you naked Kono.”

“What’s this about Kono being naked?” Chin asked as he entered the coffee room then immediately scowled at the empty pot. 

“It’s a long story,” Danny replied as he climbed to his feet. “Suffice it to say that Kono will not be wearing a bustier to work.”

Chin drew his eyebrows together in confusion and was about to ask more when voices and the rattling sound of metal came from the main officer. Danny glanced at his two teammates and hurried back into the office, Chin and Kono at his heels. The captain stopped abruptly at the sight before him.

“Kiki?” the blond-haired man asked askance. “What is all this?”

Kiki Carmichael – and yes, dear God it was her real name. Danny checked – Steve’s short, red-haired spitfire of an assistant stood at the front of a line of people looking like the leader of a wagon train from the old west. Behind her were two fussy looking men with measuring tapes around their necks who Danny assumed were the tailors. Behind them was a tall black man dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit with a bright yellow cravat. Danny noted he also sported red fingernails. He was standing beside a rolling rack of clothes covered with protective dust sheets. After him came a minion whose sole job seemed to be pushing the rack of clothes. The group was completed by a man in a chef’s hat pushing a large cart with covered plates.

“Steve told you I’d be here at noon I suppose?” Kiki asked briskly all while texting into her phone. “We’re here to measure you and Lt. Kelly for your suits and Mr. Andre there,” Kiki waved a loose hand over her shoulder to indicate the African American man, “is here to help Officer Kalakau choose a dress.”

Danny heard Kono gasp and he turned to look at her inquiringly.

“Mr. Andre,” the young officer whispered reverently. “He owns the most exclusive women’s boutiques in L.A. He’s a guru of west coast women’s fashion.”

Danny suppressed a snort and turned back to glare at Kiki.

“And the other man?”

Kiki looked up at him examining him closely as if trying to decide if he was an imbecile or not.

“It’s lunch time. I’m assuming you haven’t eaten so I had the chef from 3660 on the Rise send over some food for you. The owner and Steve are good friends.”

Danny opened his mouth to argue that this was a police station; they were a crack unit of highly trained investigators who didn’t have time for this kind of foolishness. Instead he sighed heavily and slumped his shoulders in defeat. His tolerance for crazy had gone up significantly since becoming involved with Steve.

“Fine!” he snapped. “But make it quick. We have a lot of work to do.”

Kiki smiled brightly at him as if knowing all along she would win this argument. Danny wanted to pick her up and toss her through the double glass doors.

“Alright!” the young woman barked loudly, clapping her hands once and turning to face her entourage. “We don’t have much time so Simon,” she pointed at the man in the chef’s hat, “set up the lunch in the staff room please. Mr. Andre, you can go to Ms. Kalakaua’s office to help her try on the dresses and Captain Williams and Lt. Kelly, the tailors will measure you in your own offices. Let’s move it people!”

Kono immediately glided over to Mr. Andre, her mouth in a perfect O shape and her eyes sparkling in adoration.

“I can’t believe you personally brought some dresses here for me to try on,” she said, her voice dripping with awe. “I hope we can find something that suits me.”

Mr. Andre chuckled and put a red nailed hand on Kono’s shoulder to steer her to her office while gesturing to the minion to follow with the cart.

“Don’t you worry about a thing darling,” the tall man cooed. “You have a sweet little body and with that caramel-coloured skin the men won’t be able to tear their eyes away when I’m finished with you. I’m not the queen of L.A. couture for nothing.”

**********

 

Alex grabbed Scott by the lapels of his shirt and jerked him forward violently to shove his face only inches from the other man.

“You listen to me you asshole. I’m in charge of this unit. If you don’t like it you can get the hell out.”

Scott put both hands on the larger man’s chest and shoved him back against the tech table.

“You arrogant ass. You’re the one who shanghaied me into this unit so you’re god damned well going to listen to me. Just because you’re some big shot Navy SEAL doesn’t mean I’m going to obey your orders without question. That’s not the kind of man I am. That’s not the kind of cop I am.”

Alex grabbed the shorter man again, this time by the biceps as Scott tightened his hands into fists. The two stared at each other darkly for a long moment as if sizing the other up. Without warning, Alex pulled the other man forward again and captured Scott’s lips with his. The kiss was hard, almost brutal. Scott’s hands relaxed at his side then slid up Alex’s side to fist into his shirt.

“Cut!” The director yelled and the two actors stood back from each other and grinned nervously before Steve reached over and ruffled Andrew Cain’s hair affectionately.

From where he was sitting on Steve’s director’s chair behind the camera, Danny blew out a weak breath. He wasn’t normally a jealous person but watching Steve kiss another man was difficult to say the least. He knew it was just acting and he was proud that Steve was part of such a ground-breaking series but Danny wasn’t sure how he’d handle it when Steve and Andrew Cain began filming their sex scenes. Steve had explained to him that filming a sex scene was so choreographed that it was about as arousing as going grocery shopping but Danny had a feeling Steve and Andrew would melt the camera.

The captain definitely picked the wrong day to visit the set.

Danny sat up straight and forced a smile to his face when a grinning Steve strode over to him towing a patiently indulgent Andrew Cain by the arm behind him like he was a favourite toy. The two had a palpable chemistry.

“Hey babe!” Steve greeted his boyfriend happily, leaning down to give Danny a quick kiss. “I’m glad you decided to stop by.”

Danny stood and nodded to Andrew before turning his attention back to Steve.

“Well we finished our work so I called an early end to the day. Thought I’d come and visit.”

Danny put out his hand to Andrew Cain.

“Hi Andy. How are you?”

Cain smiled broadly and Danny could understand why he dated a string of beautiful Hollywood starlets. The blond-haired man was a couple of inches taller than Danny; fit, broad-shouldered…Danny swallowed thickly. More than one person had pointed out the resemblance between them.

“Hey Danny, good to see you again,” the affable Cain shook Danny’s hand firmly while patting him on the shoulder. “The three of us have to go out again soon, maybe next week. My girlfriend is flying in from LA for a couple of days.”

Danny nodded and glanced at Steve who was smiling happily at Andrew. Cain was a likeable guy, Danny couldn’t deny that. 

“Sure Andy that sounds great.”

Cain gave Danny another friendly slap on the shoulder then moved away leaving Steve and Danny alone…well as alone as they could be on a set jammed with people.

“Wanna go out to my trailer?” Steve asked.

Danny smirked and shook his head slightly.

“Sounds like a pick up line McGarrett. Did it work for you in the past?”

Steve grinned and wrapped an arm around Danny’s shoulders as they walked away from the set.

“A couple of times maybe but this time I’m just planning to give you a bottle of juice. We have to shoot this scene again as soon as they’ve adjusted the lighting.”

“No quickies in your trailer Steve?” Danny sighed in mock disappointment. “You’re not living up to your reputation babe.”

Steve barked out a laugh as he pushed open the sound stage door leading Danny out into the bright Hawaiian sunshine. 

“The only reputation I care about now is devoted boyfriend and successful TV actor. The rest can go to hell.”

**********

Danny waited patiently as Steve signed one more autograph then pushed open the restaurant’s main door and walked hand-in-hand with his boyfriend through the parking lot. It was always kind of funny to him that Steve McGarrett, voted America’s Toughest Bad-Ass Actor for 2008, 2009 and 2010, liked to hold hands and wasn’t afraid of PDA. It was like coming out of the closet had finally allowed the actor to be who he really was.

The two men stopped and turned as they heard Steve’s name being called from across the parking lot. The taller man groaned and his chin dropped to his chest when he recognized the person now jogging towards him.

“Who’s that?” Danny asked surprised at Steve’s reaction since he was usually welcoming and kind to his fans.

“Mark Addams. He’s this creep who fancies himself a journalist but rarely has any stories published. I think his biggest dream is to work for the Tattler as their top muckraker.”

Danny turned back to look at the tall, somewhat gangly man running towards them. Addams was in his early 30’s, had floppy black hair and pale skin. His clothes were loose and wrinkled and it was obvious his appearance didn’t matter much to him.

“Hey Steve! How are you?” Addams called out happily as he came to a stop in front of the actor, his chest heaving at the mild exertion of running across the parking lot.

“Hello Mark,” Steve answered blandly. “I’m fine thank you.”

The skinny journalist looked over at Danny and gave him an oily grin.

“This must be your new boyfriend Danny,” Addams put emphasis on the word boyfriend. “How are you Danny?” he asked as he stuck out his hand.

Danny took his hand briefly then dropped it.

“It’s Captain Williams actually. Only my friends call me by my first name.”

Mark’s phony smile faltered briefly then grew wider.

“Yes of course. Sorry.”

He looked back at Steve.

“So Steve, I heard you and Andrew Cain had your first kiss on the set today. How was that?”

Steve smiled coldly.

“Everything’s good on the set Mark. Thanks for your interest.”

The journalist looked back at Danny.

“I heard you were there watching and that you got jealous and stormed off the set.”

Danny and Steve looked at each other and burst out laughing. Danny shook his head as he looked back at the reporter.

“Do I look jealous? He may kiss Andrew Cain as part of his job but he comes home to me.”

Steve smiled and squeezed Danny’s hand affectionately.

“Always.”

Addams smirked at Danny.

“So it really doesn’t bother you that your boyfriend kisses one of the sexiest men alive?”

Danny glared at the other man.

“The only thing that’s bothering me at this moment is you.”

Addams opened his mouth but Steve stepped in between the two men.

“That’s enough Mark. You’ve had your comment so now go home and misquote us and create some story out of thin air like you always do.”

Addams’ face twisted into an affronted look.

“Are you trying to suggest I’m some kind of hack reporter Steve?”

Steve turned and took Danny by the elbow and began guiding him back to their car.

“The less said about that the better,” he replied over his shoulder.

**********

“God he’s so fucking beautiful,” Danny sighed as he watched Steve standing in the middle of their living room with dozens of fawning, adoring people swirling around him. The actor was wearing light-weight white cotton pants and a sky blue button down shirt with the sleeves partially rolled up. He was breathtaking.

Chin glanced over at his boss surprised that the sigh didn’t sound like one of appreciation but rather one of regret.

“He’s very handsome alright,” Chin confirmed. “Why do you sound like that’s a tragedy?”

Danny shifted his eyes away from Steve and gave Chin an embarrassed smile before taking a sip of his beer.

“I’m not…I’m…it’s nothing. Sometimes it just hits me, that’s all.”

“What does?” prompted Chin turning towards Danny and blocking his view of Steve. The two men were standing at the edge of the room watching as the cast and crew of Paradise enjoyed their first party at Steve and Danny’s house. The event was meant to be relaxing and low key with beer, wine and finger foods but waiters in crisp white shirts still milled around carrying silver platters of appetizers. 

Danny shrugged slightly not sure if he should continue. Chin was a good friend but Danny was still the boss. He wasn’t sure how much of his insecurity he should expose to a subordinate.

“Danny,” Chin murmured quietly obviously understanding what the problem was. “Steve loves you so much.”

Danny chewed on his bottom lip contemplatively for a moment then looked up at the older man.

“I know Chin. I know he does. And I love him. I don’t question that, it’s just…” Danny threw an arm out to the side almost knocking a tray from the hand of one of the waiters. “Look at him. Tall, gorgeous, unbelievably fit, rich, successful, adored by millions.” Danny dropped his head and examined the floor for a long moment. “I’m a short, loud-mouthed guy with a receding hairline. I just can’t help wondering when he’s going to get tired of me and move on to greener pastures.”

Chin snorted and shook his head regretfully.

“Jesus Danny you make it sound like you’re some kind of charity case or that he’s so much better than you. You’re a very good looking man. I see lots of women stopping to stare at you. You may not be rich – what honest cop is? – but you’re successful in your field. You’re held in the highest regard by the Governor and every member of HPD. You’re smart as hell and you’re a good cop. You’re just as much of a catch as Steve is.”

“Well said Chin.”

Danny jerked his head up to find an angry-looking Steve standing just behind Chin. He had no idea how long his boyfriend had been standing there but it was obvious he’d heard some of what Danny had said.

The taller man stared at Danny moodily for a moment before reaching around Chin to grab Danny’s bicep pulling him to his side. He turned to Chin and gave the older man a forced smile. 

“Will you excuse us for a moment please Chin?”

The older man nodded nervously as he watched his boss being pulled unresisting through the living room and out the French doors to the stone patio beyond. Steve tugged Danny over to a dim part of the patio and pushed his lover gently until Danny was seated on the stone wall that surrounded the patio. Steve sat down next to him.

“What do I have to do Danny?” the actor growled angrily. “What do I have to do to convince you that I love you? That you’re everything to me? That I’m with you because I need you and I desire you and I want us to grow old together. What do I have to do?”

Danny twisted to face Steve and laid both hands flat on his boyfriend’s warm, muscled chest.

“Steve,” he soothed. “I know you love me. I’m not questioning that…”

“Yes you are,” the actor interjected, wrapping one hand firmly around one of Danny’s wrists. “Every time you talk about how gorgeous I am, which is bullshit by the way, every time you talk about how rich and successful I am, every time you wonder why I’m still with you you’re saying that I don’t love you enough or that I’m too stupid to know what love really is or that I’m so shallow that eventually some new man will catch my eye like a shiny new toy and I’ll walk out on you.”

Danny’s eyes widened in horror. He never realized that when he said those things he was insulting Steve.

“No babe, I don’t mean it like that I just…I’m sorry. For all my bluster I guess I’m just a bit insecure.” Danny fisted his hands in Steve’s shirt and pulled his lover a bit closer. “I’m sorry baby. I know you love me.”

Steve examined Danny’s eyes for a moment looking for any remnant of misgivings. He took in a deep breath and blew it out forcefully.

“I’m going to say this one more time and hopefully, hopefully it will drill through your thick Jersey skull! I love you Danny Williams. I adore you and Grace. I’m happier with you than I’ve been at any other time in my life. I think you’re beautiful and my breath catches whenever I lay eyes on you. You’re so fucking smart and competent; I wish I could be more like you…”

Danny opened his mouth as if to argue and Steve put up a hand to stop him.

“You’re an amazing father and an amazing man and I feel lucky to have you in my life. I feel proud and honoured that a man like you would be with a man like me ok?”

Danny had to bite his bottom lip to keep it from quivering.

“Don’t question my love for you anymore,” Steve continued softly. “Don’t question your place in my life anymore. You’re the man I want. This is life that I’ve always dreamed of and I’m not going anywhere ok?”

Danny gave a jerky nod of the head.

“OK,” he finally choked out.

Steve smiled lovingly at his boyfriend and leaned forward to kiss him firmly on the lips. He moved his head to press his cheek against Danny’s, his lips only centimetres from Danny’s ear.

“Let’s get back in there and get the party over with. I feel the need to drag you to our bedroom and fuck you into the mattress as soon as possible.”

Danny swallowed as he felt his cock twitch involuntarily.

“Yeah,” he ground out. “Yeah I can get on board with that plan.”

**********

“That’s not fair!” Danny heard Grace shouting the moment he entered the house. He toed off his shoes and dropped his keys in the bowl by the door then hurried to the kitchen where he heard Mrs. Tanaka obviously trying to soothe the little girl.

“My daddy pays your salary so you have to do what I say!” 

Danny rounded the corner into the kitchen and saw Grace, hands on her hips, looking up angrily at Mrs. Tanaka who had her arms crossed on her chest obviously not backing down from whatever Grace was demanding.

“Grace!” Danny barked, shocked at the rude tone the child had taken with Mrs. Tanaka. “What exactly is going on here?”

Mrs. Tanaka looked up nervously at Danny and dropped her arms to her side as Grace spun around, her little face red with anger.

“I asked Mrs. Tanaka for a Pop Tart but she said no! She’s supposed to do what I say.”

Danny clenched his jaw and glowered at Grace who took a step back when she saw the anger on her father’s face.

“Grace,” Danny spoke in a quiet, barely controlled voice. “You apologize to Mrs. Tanaka right now.”

“But Danno…” the little girl whined.

“Now!” Danny barked again causing his daughter to flinch. She turned back to the older woman, unwilling to meet her eyes.

“I’m sorry Mrs. Tanaka,” she said obstinately, with little feeling.

“Go upstairs and wait for me,” Danny ordered pointing towards the back staircase. “No phone, no TV until I say so.”

Grace hovered for a moment looking like she was going to argue, then burst into tears and ran up the staircase.

Danny took several deep, cleansing breaths. This shit was exactly what he feared would happen when he moved into this huge house with Steve and all of their staff. The detective fisted his hands at his sides as he struggled to calm down. There was no way in hell he was going to let his daughter become a spoiled brat. No damned way.

Danny looked over at Mrs. Tanaka who was twisting the hem of her apron nervously as if she had done something wrong. The detective gave her a regretful smile.

“Mrs. Tanaka I want to apologize for my daughter’s behaviour. You did right in denying her the Pop Tart. You know I want her to have healthy snacks after school and I appreciate you following my instructions. Thank you for that.”

Mrs. Tanaka smiled weakly and nodded.

“Please don’t be too mad at Grace, Mr. Danny. She’s normally a very sweet, respectful child. I think maybe she just had a bad day.”

Danny walked over to the older woman and placed a hand gently on her shoulder.

“Thank you for saying that and for defending her. But that doesn’t excuse her behaviour. I can promise you this will not happen again.”

Danny gave the older woman an encouraging smile then climbed the stairs and walked down the long hallway to Grace’s room. He stood in front of the closed door for a several moments tamping down his ire before he knocked. Without waiting for a response he turned the handle and opened the door to see Grace lying on her bed, her face buried in her pillow, her shoulders shaking with sobs. Despite his anger, Danny couldn’t help but feel his heart melt at the sight. That didn’t mean she was off the hook though. Danny sat carefully down on the little girl’s bed and laid a hand on her back.

“Grace, sit up please so I can talk to you.”

Slowly Grace rose up until she was seated cross-legged on the bed. Strands of her hair had fallen across her face and caught in the tracks made by her tears. She sniffed loudly and Danny reached over her to pull a tissue from the box on her nightstand. He gave it to her and waited until she blew her nose.

“Would you like to explain to me what went on down there,” Danny asked firmly.

Grace raised her deep brown eyes to her father.

“I just…I wanted a Pop Tart and she wouldn’t give me one so I got mad. She works for us so she shouldn’t be able to tell me what I can’t eat.”

Danny raised an eyebrow at his daughter and folded his hands tightly on his lap.

“Mrs. Tanaka is not telling you what to eat, I am. I left instructions with her that you are not to eat any kind of junk food after school. Furthermore,” Danny continued feeling his anger rise again. “Mrs. Tanaka doesn’t work for you she works for Steve and me. We pay her salary. But even though she is an employee of this house she still deserves to be treated with respect and dignity. You’re an 11-year-old child. Where do you get off speaking to any adult, or any other human being, like that?”

Grace swallowed thickly and her eyes filled with tears.

“I’m sorry Danno,” she whispered.

Danny took a deep breath and let it out slowly forcing himself to relax his stiff posture.

“Grace you and I are very privileged to have met Steve and to have moved into this beautiful house with so many people to take care of us. But being this fortunate does not mean we get to treat people badly or act like we’re better than they are.”

Grace swallowed thickly and nodded.

“You’ve never seen Steve treat any member of the staff like that have you?” continued Danny keen to press home the point. “Steve is very successful and famous but he’s never allowed that to change him or to treat people like they don’t matter. He’s always kind and polite to his fans and to the people who work for him. He respects them and he’s grateful for everything they do for him. I expect you to behave in the same way.”

Grace looked up at Danny again with wet eyes and nodded once more.

“Yes Danno.” She paused for a moment then threw herself in her father’s arms. “I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to be so mean,” the little girls sobbed. “I spilled chocolate milk all over my shirt today at lunch and everyone laughed and I was mad. I didn’t mean to take it out on Mrs. Tanaka.”

Danny tightened his arms around his daughter and dropped a kiss on the top of her head.

“Ok. I get that you were in a bad mood but you’re not allowed to take it out on other people, especially people who take such good care of you.”

“I’ll go and apologize to Mrs. Tanaka again,” said Grace, her voice muffled by Danny’s shirt. “I promise I won’t be mean anymore.”

Danny sighed softly as he stroked his daughter’s hair with one hand. 

No. Definitely no spoiled brats here.

**********

Danny and Kono threw themselves to the pavement as bullets whizzed past them and chewed up the cement around them showering them with bits of broken concrete. The two scrambled behind the Camaro, Danny kneeling behind the back tires and Kono behind the front. The captain blew out a put upon sigh as he pulled his gun. He and Kono had come to the Kalihi neighbourhood to talk to Myron Reed, a retiree from Kansas whose name had come up during Five-0’s investigation into a string of bank robberies. Reed wasn’t considered a suspect but he obviously took umbrage at the members of Five-0 approaching his home. Danny glanced over at Kono.

“I’m going to go out on a limb here and say Reed might not be a cooperative witness for us,” Danny joked, flinching when a bullet chewed a hole through the trunk of the Camaro only inches from his face.

Kono glanced over at her boss and smirked as she pulled out her phone to call for backup.

“Really boss? What makes you think that?”

Danny flashed her a grin as he straightened up slightly to peer over the trunk to the house beyond.

“Myron Reed!” Danny shouted across the yard, certain he could be heard through the smashed front window of the house. “This is Five-0. I don’t know what the hell you are doing but you better throw out that gun and come out with your hands up before I have to come in there and get you!”

“Fuck you cop!” an almost hysterical voice screeched from inside the house. “Stay off my property and leave me alone. I’m an American citizen. I know my rights!”

Danny rolled his eyes and turned to plop down on his butt with his back against the tire. He looked over at Kono.

“Backup?”

The young woman jammed her cell phone back into the front pocket of her pencil leg jeans.

“They’re 10 minutes away at least. There’s a big pile up on the Lunalilo.”

The captain shook his head in disgust.

“There’s never a cop around when you need one.”

Kono took a moment to glance over the top of the car trying to spot Reed then crouched down again at another volley of bullets.

“I can try and get in behind the house,” she offered.

“Nah,” Danny replied laconically, disturbed at how unfazed he was at the gunfire. He’d been a cop too long. “There’s no proper cover. Let’s just wait for back up. Maybe Reed will calm down in that time.”

Kono snorted at that idea but also sat down on her butt on the pavement.

“So are you happy with the gown you picked for Paradise on the Beach?” Danny asked conversationally as he pulled out the clip on his gun, examined it for a moment then snapped it back into place.

“Oh my god it’s so beautiful,” gushed Kono, her eyes alight with pleasure. “It’s a Vera Wang. It would cost me I don’t know how many month’s salary to afford a Vera Wang on my own. I can’t believe Steve is doing this. It was kind enough of him to invite Chin and me to be special guests at the premier but to buy me a designer gown….” The young woman shook her head in wonder as Danny smiled warmly.

“Steve wanted it to be a special night for you and Chin as well as for the cast and crew. He’s also arranging to get Grace all dolled up too. She’s beside herself with joy.”

“I don’t blame her,” Kono replied happily. “I can hardly wait. I get to put away my badge and my gun and my bullet proof vest and just do the girlie thing for one night. I can’t tell you how long it’s been since I’ve worn a gown.”

Danny shifted back to his knees and peeked over the top of the car again to check on Reed’s position. The older man still sat hunched behind the broken front window of his house. Danny could see the big screen TV playing in the background.

“Who is James Madison.”

Kono looked over at her boss quizzically.

“Huh?”

Danny looked back at the young officer and shrugged.

“He’s watching Jeopardy. The question was who was president during the war of 1812?”

Kono stared at her boss for a moment then shook her head as if he were a hopeless case. 

“Weird.”

As Danny began to sit down again he noticed movement behind Kono. Several yards away a young woman was coming down the sidewalk towards them. She was wearing headphones and was texting into her phone, oblivious to the dangerous situation she was walking into.

“Shit!” Danny growled, shoving his gun back into its holster.

Kono twisted around to see what he was looking at and paled when she saw the young woman moving closer.

“Shit,” she breathed.

“Kono. Cover me,” Danny ordered as he began to rise up onto his hands and knees.

“Boss….” Kono started to argue knowing the danger Danny was putting himself into.

“I have to, she’ll be killed,” Danny growled. 

Kono hesitated for a second then nodded once. She rose up into a crouch and, stretching her arms across the hood of the car, began firing at the house in the hopes of distracting Reed. Danny took to his feet and ran like a madman towards the still oblivious woman. The music she was listening to must have been deafening if she couldn’t hear Kono firing her gun.

Danny pounded across the pavement intent only on grabbing the young woman and dragging her to safety. As bullets began sparking off the pavement around Danny he took a wild leap and threw himself toward the young woman. Just as he crashed into her and knocked her to the ground he felt a white hot pain stab into his body.

**********

Steve stood patiently, his shirt raised to expose his bare torso as the production assistant removed his body mike. The young woman seemed to take an inordinately long time at it causing Steve to glance down at her in mild annoyance. As he watched her eyes roamed over his body and the tip of her tongue ran slowly over her top lip.

“Finished?” he asked firmly, causing her to jump and look up at him with a blush.

“Oh…ahh…yes…sorry.” 

Steve gave her a disapproving look as he pulled his shirt down and watched her hustle away. He was used to women staring at him but he expected the production crew to be a bit more professional. He’d have to talk to her if her behaviour didn’t stop. Sometimes he hated being the producer of his own show. It meant he couldn’t pass off the problems for someone else to handle.

Steve exited the studio and began walking towards the town car waiting in the parking lot to take him home. There were a few last-minute details to go over before Paradise on the Beach tomorrow night and some of the marketing people were coming over to his house in an hour for a final prep meeting.

“Steve!”

The actor froze then sagged when he recognized the ever-annoying voice of Mark Addams. He looked over to find the gangly man standing near his town car shifting excitedly from foot to foot. Steve had barred Addams from the set but he couldn’t stop the man from standing outside their building, not without a court order.

Steve sighed and trudged towards the car. He kept hoping that Mark would get bored with trying to get stories on him and move onto someone else but Honolulu wasn’t exactly a hotbed of juicy gossip.

“Hello Mark,” Steve said blandly as he tried to make his way around the reporter to the car. Aolani, his driver, opened her door and climbed out glowering at Mark as if ready to defend Steve. The middle-aged woman may have only been just over five feet tall but Steve would put his money on her taking down the skinny reporter easily.

Mark held up his phone obviously video recording Steve.

“So Steve, I wanted to get your reaction to what happened a little while ago.”

Steve gave Mark an exasperated look as Aolani opened the rear door for him to climb into the car. 

“What are you talking about Mark?”

The reporter grinned happily, obviously believing he’d caught Steve out on something.

“The gunfight downtown,” Mark reported gleefully. “The cops are surrounding a home. There’s a guy inside who has been shooting some kind of machine gun or something at them.”

Steve stood frozen feeling his heart speed up in his chest. He struggled to keep his face impassive.

“And you’re telling me this because…?”

Mark’s smile grew wider.

“Apparently Five-0 is on the scene and one of the Five-0 officers got shot. There’s a news helicopter flying over the scene. They’re not giving the names of anyone involved but from what I saw on my phone a few minutes ago it looks like it might be Danny. I wanted to get your reaction to that.”

Steve felt his blood turn to ice and he swallowed spasmodically.

“Have you heard from any of Danny’s teammates?” Mark continued stepping closer to Steve and holding the phone closer to the actor’s face. “Have they said if he’s dead or not?”

Without thinking Steve snatched Mark’s phone from his hand and threw it hard across the parking lot feeling a twinge of satisfaction as it smashed into several pieces. The actor grabbed the reporter by the throat in an iron fisted grip and jerked Mark towards him so their faces were inches apart.

“You slimy piece of shit,” Steve growled, tightening his hold on Mark and watching with almost animalistic glee as the reporter’s eyes bugged out and his tongue seem to swell out of his mouth. “You stay away from me and you stay away from my family do you hear? You come near me again and I’ll kill you.”

“Steve.” The actor felt small but firm hands on his arm trying to pull him away from Mark before he broke the other man’s neck. 

“Steve!” Aolani repeated, giving Steve’s arm another jerk although she couldn’t release his hold. “Let him go Steve! We need to find out about Danny! We need to find out what hospital he is in.”

At the mention of his boyfriend’s name Steve shoved Addams away violently sending the skinny man sprawling to the pavement, hands clutched at his red and bruising throat.

Steve turned to look at Aolani with wide, terrified eyes.

“Danno,” he whispered feeling the horror of what he’d been told suddenly washing over him.

“Get in the car,” Aolani ordered pushing him by one shoulder. “I’ll start calling around.”

**********  
Aolani stopped the town car in front of the emergency entrance to Queen’s Medical Center with a screech of tires. Steve threw open his door and climbed out to be met by a blinding barrage of flashbulbs and a dozen voices screaming questions at him. How the fuck did the media find out about these things so quickly?

Using his best high school football skills, Steve pushed his way through the crowd of reporters and bystanders until met by a phalanx of uniformed police officers who guided him into the main doors of the hospital allowing him to enter the building then shutting the doors behind him muffling the shouting voices.

Steve glanced around frantically before spotting a hospital employee sitting behind a reception desk a few yards into the room. Steve hurried over surprised at how quiet the emergency room seemed and expecting to see Kono or Chin standing there waiting for news of their boss.

As Steve arrived at the desk the admitting clerk was talking on the telephone. He drummed his fingers nervously on the countertop for several moments hoping that she would end the call and look up at him. When she seemed in no hurry to end her call, which sounded like a discussion about what she would have for dinner that night, he leaned over and cleared his throat loudly.

“Excuse me my partner is here, Danny…”

Steve stopped as the woman threw up one hand, palm near his face to quench his words. Steve felt the fear in his gut morph into rage. As the woman continued her call he slammed the flat of his hand on the countertop.

“Goddamn it hang up that phone and talk to me!” he roared causing the few people waiting in the chairs behind him to look up at him apprehensively.

The clerk gave him a poisonous look then slowly, carefully hung up the phone. She regarded him quietly for a moment, clearly enjoying the small amount of power she was wielding.

“Sir, I have to ask you to keep your voice down or I’ll have security escort you out,” she announced officiously.

Steve snorted at that.

“They can certainly try.”

“Sir…”

“My partner. Five-0 Captain Danny Williams. He was brought here suffering from a gunshot wound. I want to know his condition and speak to his doctor.”

The clerk pressed her lips together in barely contained annoyance then turned towards her computer screen and began typing on the keyboard.

“Williams?”

Steve pulled in a deep slow breath.

“Yes.”

“W-i-l-l-i-a-m-s?” she confirmed.

Steve tightened his hands into fists as he struggled to keep his rage in check.

“Yes,” he replied in a low, deadly voice.

“And you are?”

Steve stared at the women askance for a moment. Steve wasn’t egotistical but the fact that he was on the island and filming a TV show had been big news for several months. Did she really not know who he was?

“McGarrett,” Steve replied through clenched teeth. “Steven McGarrett.”

The woman’s eyes flicked up to him and then away and he realized she did know exactly who he was she was just jerking him around. It made him want to slap her pinched little face.

She shrugged with a studied lack of concern.

“I’m afraid your name is not on Captain Williams’ emergency contact chart so I can’t release any information to you. Perhaps if you called later…”

Steve leaned over the high counter top holding it with a white-knuckled grip, his eyes blazing at the clerk. He was gratified to see her swallow nervously.

“Listen to me,” Steve growled low and deep. “Danny Williams is my boyfriend. We live together as I’m sure you damned well know. I don’t give a fuck whether my name is on that record or not. I want to speak to his doctor. Now!”

The clerk pushed her rolling chair slightly backwards and huffed dramatically, her face a picture of stern disapproval.

“Perhaps I should call the hospital administrator,” she threatened lamely.

A cold smile spread across Steve’s face.

“Yes. That’s an excellent idea. Why don’t you do that? I’m sure he’d be very interested to hear about a little press conference I’m going to give to the media outside about the latent homophobia in this hospital and how one ignorant, narrow minded clerk kept me from seeing my injured, hero boyfriend in his time of need.”

“Mr. McGarrett?”

Steve swiveled to find a short, stocky, middle-aged man in a lab coat standing behind him, hands jammed into his pockets.

“I’m Dr. Nixon, I’ve been looking after your partner.”

“How is he?” Steve demanded worriedly taking a step forward and trying not to loom over the older man.

“He’s fine,” the doctor replied with a small smile. “The bullet took a chunk out of the fleshy part of his arm and he needed quite a few stitches but other than that he’ll be ok. We’re going to release him in about a half hour.”

Steve sagged against the reception desk squeezing his eyes shut and letting out a gusted breath. He felt the doctor grab his elbow and he opened his eyes to see Nixon looking at him worriedly.

“Are you alright?”

Steve nodded slowly and stood upright again on his shaky legs.

“Yeah, I was just…I thought,” the actor shook his head and scrubbed one hand through his hair. “Can I see him?”

The doctor smiled warmly and gestured toward the treatment rooms.

“Of course.”

As Steve began walking down the hall he looked back at the clerk. She was watching him, her nose wrinkled as if a bad smell had invaded the hospital. 

**********  
Danny shifted uncomfortably on the hospital bed and blew out a tired breath as he watched the IV dispense the last of the antibiotics into his arm. He’d been at the hospital for just over an hour, completely cut off from the outside world after they’d taken his cell phone away with his other personal effects. He had no idea what was going on at the shooting scene and had no way of getting hold of Steve. 

Fortunately the pain medication they’d given him was working and he’d been blissfully oblivious to the process of having his arm stitched up.

The door to the treatment room he was occupying flew open and a frightened, haggard looking Steve burst into the room, Dr. Nixon trotting along behind him. Danny felt his heart stutter at the look of fear on his boyfriend’s face. He stretched out his good hand and Steve grabbed it anxiously pulling it up to clasp against his chest as he stopped next to Danny’s bed.

“Danno. Jesus! What the hell happened? Why didn’t someone call me? Are you ok? I had to find out about this from that prick Addams. Why didn’t…?”

“Babe, babe,” Danny interrupted, squeezing Steve’s hand firmly. “Take it easy ok? I know you’re upset but I can only answer one question at a time.”

Steve closed his eyes as he visibly worked to calm himself down.

“I’m sorry babe, they took my phone when I arrived so I couldn’t call you and Kono and Chin are still handling the scene so they wouldn’t have had a chance to call you either.”

“They wouldn’t let me see you,” Steve replied hoarsely. “That bitch at the front counter wouldn’t tell me anything. She said I wasn’t on your chart or something.”

“Oh shit,” Danny sighed shaking his head. “I’m sorry babe. I added you to my contact information at work and at Grace’s school but I forgot about the hospital.”

Steve chewed his bottom lip for a moment then nodded.

“It’s ok. I…it’s ok,” Steve’s shoulders loosened perceptibly as he glanced over at Dr. Nixon. “The doc came and got me and brought me up-to-date on your condition.

The doctor smiled and stepped forward taking the opportunity to interrupt.

“I’m sorry about the trouble you had Mr. McGarrett. Technically the clerk was correct but we try to be flexible…and polite. I’ll speak to her. And I want to assure you again that Mr. Williams is fine and as soon as his IV is finished he can leave.”

“We’ll update my contact information before I leave ok?” Danny promised but his heart sank a bit at the slightly haunted expression that still remained on Steve’s face. It was obvious this incident had shaken him to the core.

“Yeah,” Steve replied too quietly as he sat down on a chair Dr. Nixon had brought over, never letting go of Danny’s hand. “Yeah, ok.”

**********  
Steve set down the glass of iced tea, now dripping with condensation, on the small table next to the Adirondack chair where Danny was sprawled.

Danny sat up, flinching slightly at the pull this caused in his stitched up arm, and made a kissy face at Steve as he reached over for the cold drink.

“Thanks babe. I was about to go in and get something.”

Steve grinned as he plopped down in the chair on the other side of the small table.

“Mrs. Tanaka would have killed you if you’d gone in asking for something rather than ringing the bell.”

Danny rolled his eyes as he took a few gulps from the glass of iced tea and set it on the wicker table next to a small bell Mrs. Tanaka had thrust into his hand that morning. The cook had insisted he not move around but instead ring the bell to summon help if he wanted anything. Danny had no intention of ever ringing a bell to summon another human being. He wasn’t some fucking 19th Century English lord.

“How are you feeling love?” Steve asked for probably the 20th time since he brought Danny home from the hospital late yesterday afternoon.

“Fine. It’s a bit sore but nothing I can’t handle, I promise.”

Danny reached his free hand across the table and Steve took it, entwining their fingers together. Danny knew Steve was still upset about the circumstances around Danny’s injury and it would take him some time to come to grips with the incident. Danny was determined to be patient.

“I’m thinking we should cancel Paradise on the Beach tonight,” Steve announced after a moment’s silence.

Danny jerked his head back in surprise.

“What? Why?”

“Danny you were just shot. The doctor said…”

“The doctor said I had to take it easy. I don’t think walking part way down a red carpet and then sitting and watching your show’s premier is likely to tax me too much.”

“I guess…” Steve replied doubtfully.

“Steve,” Danny said gently. “I’m fine honey, really. I’ve been looking forward to the premier for weeks now. Besides, we’d disappoint too many people if we cancelled.”

Steve seemed ready to argue again but then nodded in reluctant agreement.

“OK but if I think it’s too much for you or you’re getting overtired I’m sending you home.”

Danny smirked as he sat back in his chair and dug his toes in the warm sand.

“Yes Mom.”

The two sat quietly for several minutes, both staring out to the ocean and happily holding hands. Danny felt Steve shift almost nervously and knew his boyfriend had something on his mind.

“So…” Steve began, glancing over at Danny and then away again. “I’ve been thinking that we could use another police technical advisor on Paradise.”

Danny rolled his head on the back of the chair to look over at Steve in surprise.

“Oh? Is Sergeant Lukela not working out? I thought you were happy with him?”

“Oh no Duke’s great. He’s been very helpful I just…I was thinking we could use an advisor from a task force like we’ve created on the show…a task force like Five-0.”

Danny sat up slightly, his eyebrows furrowed.

“You’re not asking me to hand over Chin or Kono are you? I can’t spare them Steve.”

The other man shook his head and released Danny’s hand as he turned in his chair so he could face his partner.

“No, not Chin or Kono. I was thinking…maybe you.”

Danny stared at Steve for a moment in confusion.

“I don’t know how I’d fit that in around my regular work Steve.”

The taller man licked his lips nervously then dropped his eyes to the sand. He shrugged slightly.

“I was thinking it could be a full-time job for you.”

“What? You’re asking me to leave Five-0?”

Steve leaned towards Danny gripping the arm rest of the chair tightly.

“It would pay more than you make at Five-0 and the hours would be fairly normal and we’d be working together.”

Danny huffed out a breath.

“Steve, where is this coming from all of a sudden? If you need technical advice on the task force you just ask me like always. Why are you…?” Danny’s voice trailed away and his heart dropped in his chest as he watched Steve swallow nervously. Suddenly he understood everything.

“Oh babe…” Danny whispered sadly. 

“You would be safe Danno,” Steve replied hoarsely. 

Danny sat back in his chair with a thump feeling suddenly defeated.

“Steve,” he sighed. “I thought you understood what my job meant to me. I thought you supported me?”

Steve reached across the table to take Danny’s good hand in both of his, squeezing it intently.

“I do Danno. I’m proud of you, you know that it’s just…I thought I’d lost you. For about a half-hour yesterday I didn’t know if you were alive or dead. I was terrified.”

Danny shook his head slowly and began chewing on his bottom lip. He stared at the rolling waves for a moment before looking back at Steve sadly.

“You’re asking me to change myself. To give up something I love and that I’m good at so that you don’t have to worry. You’re doing exactly what Rachel did. When I couldn’t do that for her she left me. Is that what you will do if I say no?”

Steve’s eyes widened in horror and he let go of Danny’s hand as if it were burning him.

“No! How can you say that? I have no intention of leaving you.”

Danny stood up from his chair with a jerk and began pacing in the sand, cradling his injured arm with his free hand.

“Well what am I supposed to think? Rachel couldn’t handle the job either and we divorced because of it.”

“I just thought maybe…you’d be earning more money. You could put away more for Grace’s education,” Steve offered lamely.

Danny stopped pacing and glared down at his partner.

“Do not use my daughter against me Steven. You know I do my job to help keep her safe. Don’t try to make me feel guilty when you know the only damned reason you’re suggesting this is because you’re worried.”

“OK I’m worried,” Steve snapped back, standing up abruptly jamming his fists on his hips. “Is that so terrible? Do you really expect me not to worry?”

“No I don’t,” Danny replied firmly. “Any more than I can stop worrying about you.”

Steve snorted a dismissive laugh.

“Me? Why would you worry about me? I’m an actor.”

“An actor who likes to do his own stunts. An actor who loves to race cars. An actor who loves to skydive. Your life can be just as dangerous as mine sometimes Steve. Don’t pretend your shoulder isn’t still bugging you after you injured it doing that stunt last month. I worry about you when you do that stuff babe. I’m afraid you’ll break your neck but I won’t ask you to stop because I know you love it and it’s part of who you are.”

Steve blew out a breath of air through his lips. He supposed Danny had a point – goddamn it! He felt the sudden annoyance drain out of his body with only the fear left behind.

“I don’t know how to stop worrying,” he admitted softly.

“I don’t either but I’m willing to live with it to be with you,” replied Danny wrapping his free hand around Steve’s forearm. “But Steve, you need to think long and hard about whether you can live with it or not. I love you very much babe and I want us to be together forever but if you think you can’t handle my job you need to tell me now. I don’t want to build a life with you only to have it torn away in a few years. I don’t think I could survive that.”

Danny turned and began walking back to the house, his heart in his throat. He never expected to have this particular conversation with Steve. The taller man had always been so proud of him, so interested in Danny’s career, so supportive of his work. But after yesterday’s near miss Danny was now truly terrified that Steve would decide he couldn’t handle the doubt that came with being involved with a cop.

The blond man had just climbed the steps onto the lanai when he heard the sound of running feet pounding up behind him. Danny stopped and turned just as Steve leapt from the lawn onto the lanai without touching a step. The taller man stumbled to a stop and grabbed Danny by the shoulders bending down slightly to look in his partner’s eyes.

“Danny I don’t have to think, I know. I know I’m staying with you. I’m not giving you up. I will learn to handle my worry ok? I’m sorry I even mentioned this. I don’t want you to change. You wouldn’t be the man I fell in love with if you did.”

Danny examined Steve’s face for a moment looking for any signs of doubt. He felt a weight lift off his shoulders when he realized Steve was being open and honest with him. Danny took one step forward and sank against Steve’s body burying his face in the taller man’s chest.

“Thank god,” he whispered.

**********

Danny couldn’t help the stupidly smitten smile of pride that spread over his face as he watched Steve chatting confidently with the reporter from Entertainment Today. The two men and Grace had arrived at the location of the premier on Waikiki Beach just under an hour ago and had been flabbergasted at the thousands of people who had turned up to watch the pilot episode of Paradise. Danny and Grace had accompanied Steve part way down the red carpet as flashbulbs exploded around them and women, and no small number of men, screamed Steve’s name.

When they got to the point where the media had been gathered, Grace was taken away by Kiki to find her seat and Danny had stepped off the carpet to let Steve and the other cast members of Paradise walk the line of media and do brief interviews. Now Steve was on a raised dais where Entertainment Today was filming longer, exclusive interviews. Danny stood just below it watching Steve work his magic. He had seen Steve being interviewed a couple of times and was always impressed with his ability to deftly handle the questions thrown at him but tonight Steve was happy, charming and unbelievably gorgeous. The combination of Steve’s perfectly tailored suit with his artfully disheveled hair against the backdrop of the setting sun was making Danny’s mouth dry with want. He hoped this night would not go on too long because he had plans for Steve; big plans.

The tall, reed thin and perfectly coiffed Entertainment Today reporter was obviously attracted to Steve judging by the way she kept flipping her hair back and reaching over to put her hand on his bicep every time he said something even remotely funny. Danny couldn’t help but smirk at the pointlessness of her flirting.

“So Steve,” the doe-eyed reporter purred at the actor. “I hear your scenes with Andrew Cain are hot, hot, hot. Just how sexy will they be?”

Steve grinned wolfishly and winked at the reporter. Danny had to suppress a snort. Steve was playing his part beautifully.

“Well you’ll have to watch the show to find out Mandy, but let’s just say the audience will not be disappointed. We’re playing two men who love each other and we want to portray that as realistically as possible.”

The reporter giggled and widened her eyes at the camera as if sharing a moment of delicious scandal with all of America.

“And your boyfriend Danny, how does he feel about all of this?”

Steve’s face softened visibly as he glanced over at where he knew Danny was standing in the darkness. Danny wasn’t sure Steve could even see him with the blinding lights in his face but he still felt a thrill of electricity run up his spine as he caught Steve’s gaze.

“Danny’s amazing,” Steve replied softly, no more Hollywood pretense in his behaviour. “He’s been an incredible support to me. I don’t know how I got so lucky.”

Danny swallowed thickly at that and had to blink rapidly to clear the sudden moisture from his eyes. 

“Well I know there are a lot of broken hearts in America now that you’re off the market,” the reporter said, once again putting her hand on Steve’s arm but this time rubbing his bicep slightly. “You’ve changed your life completely over the past year. Any doubts about your choices?”

Steve smiled brightly at the reporter and then into the camera.

“Coming here was the best decision I ever made in my life.”

**********

Danny placed his hands flat on Steve’s chest and shoved him backwards until the actor slammed down on the bed, bouncing slightly on the springy mattress. Danny crawled onto the bed and straddled Steve’s hips, his hands on his boyfriend’s shoulders as he assessed Steve with a feral gaze.

“You,” Danny growled, his eyes drawn to Steve’s mouth as his lover’s tongue darted out and licked his bottom lip slowly. “Do you know what it was like watching you all night? Watching you flirt with people and smiling that smile that makes my knees weak? And that fucking suit? I wanted to throw you down on the sand in front of all your fans and rip that suit off you and fuck you until you wouldn’t be able to string a coherent sentence together.”

Steve’s Adam’s apple bobbed visibly as he swallowed at Danny’s words.

“I wouldn’t have minded,” he replied hoarsely, sliding his hands up Danny’s sides then down his back to grasp the smaller man’s ass. “I felt the same way about you. I wanted to drag you behind the stage and pound into you until the microphones picked up your screams.”

“Jesus,” Danny hissed as he leaned forward and captured Steve’s mouth with his. Danny braced himself on his elbows and slid his knees out from under him until he was laying flat on top of Steve. He rolled his hips and ground himself down on Steve’s growing erection. Steve’s hips jerked involuntarily at that and it sent a surge of desire through Danny so strong it masked the ache in his stitched arm. They were both still fully clothed seemingly unable to take the time to strip.

Danny pulled his mouth away from Steve’s and dipped his head so his breath was hot against his partner’s ear. 

“I’m going to fuck you,” he growled softly. “I’m going to fuck you long and I’m going to fuck you hard.”

Danny felt Steve shudder slightly.

“Do it Danny. Do it now. Right now.”

Danny pushed himself back up onto his knees and attacked the button on Steve’s pants. The actor lifted his hips so that Danny could pull his pants and underwear down his thighs. Danny leaned back to pull one pant leg off Steve’s left foot but left the remaining leg still caught in the trousers. He was too anxious to get with the program to be bothered with niceties like undressing his lover. Lifting himself up and out of the way, Danny shoved Steve’s legs apart then settled between them again. 

The Captain leaned across the bed and grabbed the lube they’d left on the bedside table that morning. He popped the cap and pushed Steve’s knees up and apart to have unobstructed access to his hole. 

“Fuck Danny, hurry up,” Steve hissed, his cock already hard and beginning to leak on his belly.

The blond man smirked at his lover as he poured the lube over his fingers then ran the tip of his index finger over Steve’s hole causing his lover’s body to jerk in reaction. Carefully Danny pressed the finger into Steve and he watched in fascination as Steve’s eyes fluttered closed and his mouth dropped open with a shaky sigh.

Danny moved the finger in and out until he felt confident he could add a second digit. This time when he inserted the fingers he began scissoring them to stretch Steve out.

“Danny…” Steve whined.

“Gotta prep you properly babe,” the blond man soothed. Steve opened his eyes and the fire and lust Danny saw in them caused his own cock to harden uncomfortably in his pants.

“Screw the prep and just fuck me Danny!” Steve growled. “I can’t wait any longer.”

Danny made a strangled sound deep in his throat as he scrambled to unzip his fly pushing his pants and underwear down to his calves allowing his cock to finally spring free. He poured more lube into his hand and spread it over his cock before throwing the bottle to the side. He lifted Steve’s legs and dropped them onto his own shoulders feeling Steve’s pants, still hanging off one leg, flap down behind him.

Danny held his cock tightly as he lined it up with Steve’s hole. He paused for a moment and looked up at his lover.

“You ready babe?”

Steve growled through gritted teeth.

“Danny…” he warned.

Danny smiled and began pushing into Steve’s hole slowly but firmly, only stopping until he was fully buried inside Steve, his balls tight against Steve’s body. The taller man hissed at the burning pain and Danny held himself perfectly still allowing Steve to adjust to his size. After a few moments Steve looked down at him again and nodded.

“Go,” he ordered.

Shifting himself to ensure his thrusts would hit Steve’s prostate, Danny grabbed Steve’s thighs tightly where they lay on his chest and began pumping into Steve’s hot, tight body. As he pounded away he could feel Steve’s heels banging against his back and he had to squeeze his eyes shut tightly at the sounds Steve was making and the look of ecstasy on his boyfriend’s face.

Danny picked up his pace and rammed himself into Steve with powerful thrusts, almost pulling out of his boyfriend completely before slamming back in again.

“Danny I…” Steve moaned, reaching his arms above his head to grasp the headboard in an iron grip. “I can’t…Danny,” Steve almost sobbed, unaware of what it was he was saying or even trying to say.

Danny removed his right hand from Steve’s thigh and reached around the taller man’s legs to grasp his hard, straining cock. Danny began pumping Steve firmly, his eyes glued to the expression on his boyfriend’s face.

Steve moaned loudly at the grip of Danny’s hand and arched off the bed as Danny pumped him hard.

“Jesus fuck Danny!” Steve cried out feeling his orgasm pool deep in his belly. “Danny! Fuck Danny I want…”

“We’re lying on the red carpet on the beach Steve,” the blond man panted out as he pumped Steve’s cock faster, his thumb swirling over the wet, engorged head. “We’re naked and all those people are watching us. They’re watching you. They can’t take their eyes away from us as I fuck you. They’ve gathered around us in a circle. The cameras are flashing. People are taking video. They love watching me fuck you. They want to see you come now. Come Steve!”

With a strangled shout Steve arched off the bed again, his fingers holding the head board in a white knuckle grip as his come flooded over Danny’s hand and pulsed over his belly and chest.

The second Steve’s orgasm began to fade Danny released his lover’s cock and surged forward, placing his hands flat on the bed on either side of Steve’s chest as he pumped harder into his lover. Steve was almost bent in half, his legs wrapped around Danny as the blond man pounded into him.

“Oh god Steve,” Danny cried out, squeezing his eyes shut as he felt his orgasm begin to crash over him. 

“C’mon Danny,” Steve whispered as he ran his hands up and down Danny’s muscular back. “C’mon Danny.”

Danny threw his head back and shouted as he spilled hot and wet inside Steve, feeling his body jolt like he was being shaken apart from the inside out. When it was over he all but collapsed on top of his lover, panting as he struggled to get his breath back. It took several seconds before he realized Steve was snickering quietly. Danny weakly lifted his head and glared down at his boyfriend’s sweat-soaked face.

“What’s so funny?” he demanded indignantly.

Steve grinned widely.

“Look at us. I have my pants hanging off one leg. You have yours trapped around your calves and we still have our shirts and jackets on. We must be quite a sight.”

Danny smiled warmly dropping his head to kiss Steve again.

“You’re quite a sight,” Danny murmured. “You looked so fucking hot on that red carpet tonight but it’s nothing to what you look like right now. I better not ever see you looking like this in a scene from Paradise.”

Steve smiled and lifted his hands to cup Danny’s face and kiss him gently.

“Only you can take me apart like this Danno. Only you.”

**********

Steve climbed the steps onto the stage of the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles to the wild applause and cheering of the packed house. Danny stood in front of his seat in the third row clapping madly and trying not to cry like a baby.

Filming had started on the second season of Paradise and the show was a smash hit. Critics were raving about the courage and heart of the ground-breaking series, about the love and loyalty portrayed between the two lead characters, and about smart, dramatic and often humourous storylines.

And now as Steve walked across the stage to accept his Emmy award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, Danny couldn’t help the tear that tracked down his cheek at the look of wonder on his boyfriend’s face. This was the first acting award Steve had ever received. Despite the commercial success of Steve’s movies, he had never been nominated for an award and he was often dismissed as not a serious actor. Those snide comments were being put to rest forever tonight.

Steve kissed Julianna Margulies on the cheek as she handed him his statuette then shook hands with James Caan before turning to the microphone to face the still cheering audience.

Danny could see Steve taking in deep breaths to calm himself as he waited for the audience to subside. When a hush finally fell over the auditorium, Steve leaned slightly into the microphone.

“I’m ahh… I really am speechless,” he said in a slightly shaking voice. “I’m so honored to accept this award tonight not just for myself but also on behalf of everyone involved with Paradise….” Steve paused pointedly for a moment. “But not for Andrew Cain because he already got his Outstanding Supporting Actor award and he doesn’t need any more.” Steve grinned and the audience laughed appreciatively.

“There are 1,000 people I should thank, starting with my late parents, but I won’t bore you with a long list of names. I do need to thank Andrew who had the courage to take this role as an ass-kicking, gay police officer and by doing so smashed stereotypes about gay people forever.”

The audience cheered loudly for a moment before calming again so Steve could resume his speech.

“I also need to thank my amazing friend and co-producer Sarwar Chaudhry who took the chance on me when I came to him to pitch the idea of the script for the movie Blood in Paradise to be turned into the TV show Paradise and then to have the two lead actors be in a gay relationship. That took guts my friend, thank you.”

The audience applauded politely and Steve paused a moment until they finished.

“And of course I also want to thank HBO for taking the chance on me and once again proving that television can be a medium not just for good story telling and entertainment but also as an agent for change.”

Steve paused again and took a deep breath.

“And finally I want to thank my new, amazing family. My beloved, soon-to-be step-daughter Grace, my new friends Chin and Kono and the love of my life and my soul mate Danny Williams.”

Danny shifted nervously once again struggling not to cry knowing that a camera was filming a tight close up of his face. He grinned broadly, his eyes never leaving Steve up on the stage.

“Danny you’re an amazing man and I feel like all of my dreams came true the day I met you. I can’t wait for our wedding at Christmas…” Steve had to pause while the audience gasped then jumped to their feet and began cheering wildly. The announcement of their engagement hadn’t yet been made public. Danny supposed this was as good a time as any. 

“I love you babe. Thank you for always being there for me. Thank you for being the man you are.” Steve held up the statuette and looked directly at Danny. “They should have a category for Outstanding Support from a Loved One but since they don’t, I’ll just present this to you myself.”

Steve looked up again at the audience.

“Thank you to the academy and thanks to all of you for your support and encouragement.”

Steve stepped back away from the podium as the thunderous applause washed over him again. He mouthed “Hi Grace” to the camera before Julianna Margulies linked her arm in his and guided him off the stage.  
  
**********

Patsy Cline’s voice singing “Always” drifted over the small gathering of friends and family as Danny walked hand-in-hand with Grace down the beach to the waterline where Steve waited with the judge who would marry them.

Everyone had expected the two to have a giant, blow out wedding with tents and an orchestra and news choppers flying overhead. Instead the duo had grabbed Grace and a few dear friends and taken a boat to Lana’i for their very intimate ceremony. Both men wore light-weight cotton pants and shirts – Danny’s in pale blue and Steve’s in pale grey – and were barefoot for the ceremony. Grace, in her pretty cotton ankle-length dress had flowers in her hair and walked proudly beside Danny ready to give him away – well, share him really.

As the two drew up beside Steve the taller man held out his hand and Danny took it squeezing tightly. Danny wasn’t nervous exactly just excited and so ready for this next chapter of his life.

As their friends formed a loose circle around them, the judge spoke the wedding vows in a mixture of Hawaiian and English. Throughout the ceremony, Danny and Steve’s eyes remained glued to each other as if they were the only two people on that beach in that moment.

“Now, by the power vested in me by the State of Hawaii, I am proud to announce that you are husbands. You may seal your new beginning with a kiss,” announced the judge.

The two men grinned happily at each other before Steve leaned down and wrapped his arms tightly around Danny and pressed their mouths together. The smaller man stood on his toes and encircle his arms around Steve's waist to return the kiss passionately. The two finally dragged their lips apart and laughed as Steve lifted Grace in his arms and she wrapped an arm around each of their necks. With a cheer their friends surged forward into a group hug that left everyone laughing and crying at the same time.

The rest of the day would be taken up with swimming and games on the beach, a light dinner and a bonfire and fireworks after the sun set but until then, Danny and Steve were happy to wade hand-in-hand with Grace through the ankle-deep water, their friends trailing behind, as they took their first steps together as a family.

 

The end.


End file.
